There was a very fun debut last night, and when I say fun I mean freak – and I mean that in the most positive   and complimentary way.

In my short time scouting I’ve learned several things. My boss is an ex-MLB pitcher, so I feel what I learn from him is golden. He breaks down pitchers in a way I’m guessing very few can. One thing I’ve learned is that size indeed matters. It tends to be the first thing we look at. Delivery, which is seemingly broken into innumberable parts, is crucial. Speed is — very important.

But if you watch Daniel H. Herrera, who the Reds called up yesterday, you’ll see a player who is the perfect prospect — in the bizzaro world. He made his debut yesterday in the Reds loss to the Phillies and wow was it fun to watch.

First off, Herrera is short. He’s listed at 5-8. I’d be shocked if he’s that. He’s also thin. Sound like a prospect? Well, how about if I tell you he tops out at 85 MPH? How about if I tell you he throws mostly changeups that come to the plate at a blistering 65 MPH? He’s also got one of the weirder deliveries I’ve ever seen. He falls back halfway into a sitting position before kind of falling toward the plate and snapping his arm forward in a way that looks painful. One of the announcers described it as “he throws everything at you, then the ball comes.”

He also throws a screwball. Oh wait, now, maybe, you’re possibly interested. Sure, everyone knows the word screwball, but few people actually know what it does — because almost no one throws it. The most famous screwballer is Christy Mathewson. More recently it was occasionally thrown by the late great Tug McGraw, and also by former Reds closer John Franco.

Herrera came into the game with the Reds trailing 3-1 in the 7th. In 26 games at AA and AAA he was 3-1 with a 1.85 ERA. He had a 26/11 K/BB and saved six games. Now, with Phillies on second and third with none out, he faced Shane Victorino. Two changeups, ground out to short. Dusty Baker opted to then load the bases by walking Chase Utley — to get to Ryan Howard  (a true testimony to the tear Utley is on).

Howard is twice the size of Herrera. He threw a steady diet of changeups and curveballs, along with a 85 MPH heater, and struck out Howard on a pitch in the dirt. The Philly fans booed.

Thrown by a left-handed pitcher, a screwball breaks from right to left, usually moving down and in on a left-handed batter and down and away from a right-handed batter. He didn’t use it against Howard, but with Pat Burrell, who’d already homered in the game, I had a feeling it would be coming. The first pitch to Burrell was a changeup, which Burrell crushed into the third deck — but about 30 feet foul.

Then came the screwball. Ball, and it almost went to the backstop. Did I mention Herrera didn’t even go to spring training this year? There’s no way catcher Paul Bako  had ever caught Herrera in a game. Burrell called time twice before the next pitch, because Bako and Herrera couldn’t get their signs straight.

Burrell got so far around the next pitch it was foul by about 60 feet.

Originally from Texas Herrera was the third wheel of the famed 2008 MVP for 2008 Cy Young (ok, I’m exaggerating — possibly) Josh Hamilton/Edinson Volquez deal. He went to Permian High School, famous for football, and the subject of the book and film “Friday Night Lights.” He went to the University of New Mexico and was drafted by the Rangers in the 45th round of the 2006 draft.

The last pitch was a straight fastball — 81 MPH — right on the inside corner and it froze Burrell. Called strike three.

I don’t want to say Herrera’s debut was as fun as Jay Bruce’s last week — but here I am spending an hour writing about Herrera’s, watching his inning again and again. Definately a Reds highlight of the year.

Here’s another article about Herrera from Baseball Analysts.